Dear Marion, From the catalogue of national anthems relevant to the Goethe quotation, I inadvertently slighted the Prussian monarchy by omitting "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz", the German national anthem from about 1870 to 1918. 1. Heil dir im Siegerkranz, Herrscher des Vaterlands! Heil, Kaiser, dir! Fühl in des Thrones Glanz Die hohe Wonne ganz, Liebling des Volks zu sein! Heil Kaiser, dir! 2. Nicht Roß und Reisige Sichern die steile Höh', Wo Fürsten steh'n: Liebe des Vaterlands, Liebe des freien Manns Gründen den Herrscher Thron Wie Fels im Meer. 3. Heilige Flamme, glüh', Glüh' und erlösche nie Fürs Vaterland! Wir alle stehen dann Mutig für einen Mann, Kämpfen und bluten gern Für Thron und Reich! 4. Handel und Wissenschaft Heben mit Mut und Kraft Ihr Haupt empor! Krieger- und Heldentat Finden ihr Lorbeerblatt Treu aufgehoben dort, An deinem Thron! 5. Dauernder stets zu blüh'n Weh' unsre Flagge kühn Auf hoher See! Ha, wie so stolz und hehr Wirft über Land und Meer Weithin der deutsche Aar Flammenden Blick. 6. Sei, Kaiser Wilhelm, hier Lang' deines Volkes Zier, Der Menschheit Stolz! Fühl' in des Thrones Glanz, Die hohe Wonne ganz, Liebling des Volkes zu sein! Heil, Kaiser, dir! I should mention that "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz" and "God save our gracious Queen" are sung to the melody familiar to us as "My country, 'tis of thee," while "Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser," is sung to the melody of "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles". I don't know whether it was Haydn himself who extracted that melody from his quartet, Op. 76, No.3, or for that matter, whether Haydn composed the Imperial Hymn and then adapted the melody for use in his quartet. I quickly found the answer on the Internet: In London hatte Haydn die Hymne "God save the King" kennengelernt. Nach diesem Vorbild schuf er 1797 für sein Land eine eigene: "Gott erhalte Franz, den Kaiser". Bald darauf verwendete er eben dieses Thema im zweiten Satz seines Streichquartetts op. 76 Nr. 3 als Grundlage für vier Variationen. Thank you for your letter "Ottilie's Maxim". We're making progress. You wrote: "Ottilie's maxim is sensible, even profound, when expressed by an observer of the exceptionally gifted individual. Ottilie can say it, Charlotte could say it; yet it would be bizzarre if Luciane said about herself: "When dealing with a person as extraordinary and preferred as myself, your only solution is to adore me."" We apparently agree that the statement Gegen große Vorzüge eines andern gibt es kein Rettungsmittel als die Liebe. is sensible, even profound. If so, the statement must be true. If it's true the statement will save Ottilie's (spiritual) life if she can avail herself of its power. Assuming for the sake of argument, that Ottilie had not discovered the truth of the statement herself, I understand you would permit Charlotte to communicate it to her. I presume you would permit die Vorsteherin, the headmistress, to communicate it to her, to provide Ottilie with the intellectual and spiritual guidance that might save her. You argue that even if Ottilie had not discovered the truth of the statement herself, and even if no one else had taught her, and even if on account of her ignorance Ottilie were in danger of spiritual disfigurement or death, it would be bizarre for Luciane herself to try to communicate this einzige Rettungsmittel to her. Not from my perspective. From my perspective it would be monstrous for Luciane to withold from Ottilie the only available Rettungsmittel - and remember the maxim is "KEIN Rettungsmittel als die Liebe," - merely because some thoughtless person who did not perceive the seriousness of the crisis or the power of the remedy, might consider it pompous if communicated by Luciane herself. I see a compelling analogy. Suppose Luciane were a strong swimmer and Ottilie a weak swimmer, bathing together in the surf, and a strong undertow pulled them both out to sea, would it be boastful or pompous of Luciane to shout at the top of her voice. Hold on to me, I'm stronger than you. I can buck the tide? Wouldn't it be monstrous for Luciane to withhold that offer of the only available Rettungsmittel, and let poor Ottilie drown, merely because she might be overheard by some thoughtless person who not perceiving the seriousness of the crisis might consider Luciane's offer boastful and pompous when communicated by Luciane herself. And yet one further consideration. Although Goethe doesn't mention it, Luciane was Jewish, and had been taught by a serious Rabbi, who impressed on her fact that fame, notoriety, social and political eminence are a species of idolatry, and that the conventional formula for the First Commandment, Thou shalt have no other gods before me is inaccurate. The correct statement is: Thou shalt have no other gods beside me (neben mir). In otherwords, no other gods at all. The Rabbi persuaded Luciane that all honor is idolatrous. Being an accomplished musician she understood this sentiment to be widely echoed in religious texts, for example in the music of Haendel's Saul, whose praise is refused by David with the words: O king, your favours with delight I take, but must refuse your praise: For every pious Israelite To God alone that tribute pays. Through Him we put to flight our foes, And in His name, We trod them under that against us rose. For reasons of religion, Luciane could not contemplate herself being honored or being otherwise the object of veneration. Because praise and adoration were incomprehensible, meaningless to Luciane, it was possible for her to say to Ottilie without embarrassment: Gegen große Vorzüge eines andern gibt es kein Rettungsmittel als die Liebe. Jochen P.S. We might be out shopping part of the day tomorrow. 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